Scales of Love
by orangeyhairedimmortal
Summary: Rukia is a mermaid-noble and was supposed marry Renji, a gang member, to keep peace between the factions when she somehow ends up on land tied up in a magical plastic baggy. Ichigo was just at a festival with his sisters and plays a game, winning a fish that turns out to be a mermaid. As Ichigo tries to care for Rukia and get her home, love ensues between them. IchiRuki, AU
1. Rukia - 1

**alright ichiruki fans, this one is for you. it may not seem like it at first, but it is. and who's to say that rukia couldn't have had a crush on byakuya? there's nothing wrong with it as long as she doesn't act on it... and ningyo is a japanese mermaid that's kind of close to what we think of when we say mermaid.**

* * *

My name is Rukia and I live in the prestigious High Ningyo Society with my sister and her husband. We are considered nobility and have lots of high privileges. My brother-in-law's family is part of the Kuchiki Clan that is under our king, Yamamoto and does his bidding whenever there is a task. There are many clans that do the bidding of King Yamamoto, but our clan does more than most. We have the records keeping part, the recruiting part (for our warriors) and we have the grounds keeping part… which is a little off the wall. Apparently, the Kuchiki Clan has the best gardeners under the sea.

When my sister, Hisana, married Byakuya, I was taken into the family as well because I didn't have anywhere else to go. When I was taken in, my sister and I had been training to be warriors at the academy. Byakuya was touring the academy for some diplomatic duty and Hisana was the one to show him around. He was so handsome, his long black hair flowing in the water and that muscular physique and that oddly beautiful pale pink tail! He was a dream and my sister fell hard for him. I was happy for her, because we had been through so much in our lives. Losing our parents, trying to get out of the muck, working hard to apply to the academy… getting with Byakuya was a dream come true for us.

The only problem I had was that for some reason, when I entered into the clan, I was sent to work in grounds keeping! _Grounds keeping_! I was studying to be a warrior! I don't know anything about sea anemones or kelp or corals… I tried to ask Hisana to change me to the recruiting part, but she said that it was Byakuya who determined the placement.

* * *

"Come on, Hisana, you can't let them keep me here forever! It's been three years and I'm still in grounds keeping. I don't _like_ grounds keeping."

"I've talked with Byakuya on many occasions but he's too busy with his grandfather helping the king with the issue with the gangs that have been attacking."

"For three years?"

"You know what it was like to live in the lower levels and have the gangs come through there. They are terrifying and are swimming rampant through the kingdom. King Yamamoto needs Genrei and Byakuya, his best advisors, to help him come up with a plan to defeat the gangs."

"But about the Shihoin Clan? I mean, they seem to be better at tactics than we are…"

Hisana sighed as she looked over the jewelry in her jewelry box, acting as if she didn't know what to say.

"Rukia, I love you as my sister, but Byakuya is my husband and has a lot of things on his plate. I don't see him often due to all the meetings. But, I can assure you that I have mentioned it to him as many times as I can and I'm sure when all this is over, he will be able to take a more thorough look and decide something then."

I scoffed. "You just think I'm going to impress him more than you."

Hisana smiled but I could see the danger behind it.

"Why, dear sister, I find it pretty clear that he chose me instead of you. What you have in fighting skills are no match for what I have in looks and demeanor. You act like a merman while I act the way a mer _maid_ should. So… beauty over brawn." She said, tapping my nose with each word.

I growled at her and swam away. Did I mention the fact that I had been in love with Byakuya too?

* * *

I decided to shirk my duties and go to the Big Gulp, a bar that served everyone. My friend, Rangiku, worked there and I usually explained my troubles to her while she worked. I didn't have that many friends because half of them stopped being my friend when I became part of the Kuchiki family or we just lost touch. Rangiku was probably my closest friend.

I swam through the door and Ranguki looked up, her long dark orange hair flowing about her as she smiled at me.

"Well, long time no see, Rukia."

"Sorry it's been a while. I've been trying to get Byakuya to get me out of stupid grounds keeping."

Rangiku frowned. "I thought you rectified that a while back?"

"No… Ugh, I swear I think Hisana is trying to keep me _in_ instead of taking me out. Do you know what she said to me today?"

"What did she say?" Rangiku asked, leaning on the bar in interest.

"She proceeded to tell me that she got with Byakuya because he preferred her beauty over my brawn! I'm not that strong and sure I'm very good at kido, but I never tried to win Byakuya over!"

"I thought you told me you loved him?"

"I did but I could tell he loved Hisana more. I'm not going to force myself onto someone who doesn't want me. It was clear he loved her… and I haven't done anything since. She acts like I'm still trying to impress him. He's my brother now; that would be wrong."

"It doesn't stop everyone… Why don't you just ask Byakuya yourself instead of going through your sister? It seems to me like she's suspicious of you trying to take her husband and doesn't want you near him."

"It's been three years. You'd think if I was going to try and make moves on him, I would have… Besides, you remember how I am… I'm pretty obvious when I'm flirting, so she would have seen it."

"That may be true but I seriously think you should just have an audience with him yourself and voice your concerns. Is it _that_ hard to get an audience with him?"

I thought for a moment. It was hard to get anywhere near him at the manor because he was either talking to someone or was at Hisana's side, where she hogged him. I guess I could meet him outside of the king's gate…

"I guess I can try…"

"Thatta girl!" Rangiku said, putting a cup on the bar. "Here, I'll even give you a swig of liquid courage to go along with that bravery."

She poured the drink and I drank the shot down. I could do this…

* * *

After about four hours of waiting, I was about to leave with the doors opened and the council spilled out. I saw Byakuya and swam quickly to catch up with him.

"Byakuya!"

He turned and waited for me as I swam over to him.

"What are you doing here, Rukia?" he asked with a small smile.

"I was waiting for you."

He frowned. "I hope not for long."

"Eh, four hours… I really needed to speak with you but you've been so busy it's like I never see you."

"Yes, we're having a hard time with the gangs… What is it you needed to speak with me about?"

"It's about my placement in the clan… why am I grounds keeping?"

Byakuya blinked slowly at me. "Hisana said you enjoyed the work."

I frowned. "I've been asking her ever since I was put in there if I could get out. I've been wanting to join the recruiting part since I got to the estate!"

"She never mentioned this to me."

I rolled my eyes. "To be honest, she thinks I am trying to steal you away from her."

"That's preposterous."

"Exactly. You're my brother."

Byakuya thought for a moment.

"I'll discuss this issue with my grandfather and see what we can do."

I brightened. " _Really_?!"

"I cannot guarantee miracles."

"Thank you so much!" I said, hugging him.

I immediately pushed myself back, forgetting he wasn't really a hugger.

"Sorry. I got excited."

"Shall we head home?"

I nodded and followed him back home.

* * *

A few more days went by and I felt a little less trapped as I planted some bioluminescent underwater moss. I was digging a hole for the next one when a tiny seahorse swam up to me and delivered a message to me from Byakuya. I nodded and went to find my brother in the manor. I found the door he was talking about and opened it, finding not only Byakuya, but Hisana, Genrei, and to my huge surprise, King Yamamoto. I immediately bowed.

"Your Majesty!"

"This must be young Rukia?" he said.

"Yes, this is Byakuya's sister-in-law. Please come in, Rukia. We must discuss something very important." Genrei said, smiling at me.

I swam in and shut the door behind me. I stayed in front of the group as Genrei turned to King Yamamoto.

"I think she'd be perfect for what we have planned."

"I think so too… Rukia, you are aware of the very serious gang problem we have here, right?"

"Yes, I hear about it often."

"The leader of the gangs and I have decided to try and make a truce between us. The only way we thought we could do that would to be aligning the who with a marriage." King Yamamoto explained.

I frowned. "And… what does that have to do with me?"

Genrei sipped some of his tea. "We have elected you to be our side of the bargain. He told us we could choose man or woman. You will be the representative of High Ningyo Society and they will pick someone from their side to join the parties together."

"Wait, so you're marrying me off?!" I yelled, angry.

"It is an alliance with the very people how have been causing problems as well as the dawn of a new era. By doing this, you will be doing High Ningyo Society as great service." King Yamamoto explained to me.

It didn't matter how many times they explained it, they are trying to marry me off like trying to get rid of the last seacow of the season.

"And who are they sending?"

"Their best warrior or something to that effect. He has not decided who he wants to choose. He will send a seahorse to tell me what he has responded and then you two will meet soon enough. They will have to come to High Ningyo Society, so be expecting a summons to my palace within the next few days." I nodded somberly as King Yamamoto touched my shoulder. "This is a great privilege, Rukia Kuchiki. We are relying heavily on you."

I smile but I can't be happy. I wanted to fight for my king, not give away from future entirely for him. This is not what I had in mind at _all_!

* * *

 **oh no! this is not how she wanted to serve her king! and i know this is sounding a little like NOBLE HEARTS but it's completely different, i'm telling you. and hisana's kind of a bitch, huh? i mean, yeah she was nice and all but who's to say she wasn't the jealous type? not enough known about her t complain...**


	2. Rukia - 2

**this is a bit of a long one**

 **suijin is the japanese god of the sea so i figured that would be the correct deity here**

 **i mention a few things in regards to 'clothing'. the chest displays are like ornaments that can be placed on the chest. the picture for the story shows some of these. you can use them kind of like pasties for the women's breasts or whatever you want. i also mention a shell-woven net. it's literally a net worn like a kimono but has shells woven into the rope to make it look a certain way. why merfolk no wear clothing!**

* * *

Rangiku watched me in pity as I told her what happened. She wiped down the bar and nodded, listening to me complain.

"When will you meet this guy?"

"I think in a couple days or so… Rangiku, what do I do? I don't want to be pawned off to the gangs! I wanted to marry for love, not obligation."

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do… Besides, maybe he'll be really cute. I wouldn't mind finding myself a bad boy…" she said with a smirk.

I made a face at her. "Focus here."

"Sorry… Anyway, think about it as a whole new adventure. The best part about you being married to a gang member is that you'll be able to do all the fighting you wanted. And since gangs are all about fighting, you most likely won't have to have permission to do what you want because it's something they just do."

I turned my head at that. I guess when she put it that way, I got what I wanted. I just have to have a merman attached to it, but I got what I wanted.

"I guess you're right…"

"See? Always look on the brightest side of the pearl."

"I'll let you know when they will be arriving." I said and swam away.

* * *

A week went by and as I was planting so bioluminescent plants, I heard the water bubble and looked up, seeing Byakuya. I stopped what I was doing as he swam up to me.

"Byakuya…"

"I was coming to inform you that the gang leader has accepted our proposal and will be here in three days time. We must prepare you to meet them at the castle. King Yamamoto would like for you to go there and be properly crash-coursed and dressed for the occasion."

"Dressed?" I asked, looking down at my body.

The merfolk don't exactly have outer clothing.

"Yes, they will provide you with the details. You must leave immediately. A clam-ride is waiting for you."

I nodded and went to put my equipment away. Byakuya swam next to me as Hisana came out of her room and came up to the other side.

"I will miss you, Sister." She said with a fake look of sorrow.

"I'll miss you too, Nee-chan…" I said, although mine was genuine. We got to the entrance of the Kuchiki Clan and found a four-dolphined clam-ride waiting for me, a large crab holding the reigns. Hisana clapped her hands together.

"Wow, you're very lucky, Rukia! You are going to ride in the second best clam-ride next to the king! The four dolphined calm-ride is quite extraordinary!"

I smiled a little as Byakuya held out a small clam to me.

"This is from the Kuchiki Clan to you. You are doing us a great honor."

I took the clam and opened it up, finding a set of beautiful mother-of-pearl chest displays that were outlined in tiny pearls. They were the most beautiful chest displays I'd ever laid my eyes on.

"Thank you!" I said, touching them softly. "I hope they will let me wear these along with whatever else they decide."

I saw Hisana cross her arms. I guess she didn't get to wear these chest displays for Byakuya when they were married. I mentally stuck my tongue out at her and closed the clam.

"Thank you for the farewell gift."

"You're welcome. You do our clan proud, Rukia."

I nodded and got on the clam-ride, heading to the palace.

* * *

The palace was very lavish and was just as shiny in front of me as it seemed from far away. The driver led me to something that looked like a drop-off point and I got off, being met by the king himself and some other personnel.

"Welcome, Rukia Kuchiki, to my home."

I bowed. "Thank you for entrusting your precious clam-ride to me."

"You're very welcome. Come, I shall take you to your room."

"Don't you have servants for that?" I asked, a little confused.

King Yamamoto smiled. "I do, but you're a very special person, and special people are granted my presence. Chojiro, please swim ahead and tell the maids to make Rukia-san's bedroom ready.

"Of course, my king." The silver-haired man said as he swam off.

The king looked at me and smiled kindly.

"I know you must be quite nervous and if I were in the same position, I would be too. Just know that you are doing all of High Ningyo Society a great honor in doing this."

"I'm honored to be chosen to help end the wars between the two of us. There are many other things we should fight against and it shouldn't be each other."

"Indeed. You are very intuitive about our military situation."

"I have studied our conflicts for a while now. I was in the academy before my sister married Byakuya and I never stopped wanting to learn."

"I see… I was able to get a name for you in regards to the member that the leader has chosen. His name is Renji Abarai and is the leader's right hand man. I have no idea what he looks like but Boss Kyoraku assured me that he was the strongest and the best… and secretly quite gentle."

"Well, that's good to know." I said, trying not to sound as disappointed and uninterested as I really was.

I didn't really care who it was because it didn't matter anyway. I mean, if he was fat and ugly, I would still have to do this. I'm sure Hisana will laugh at me if that's the case because she's such a little… sea urchin…

"My lord!" someone yelled, swimming rapidly towards me and the king.

King Yamamoto turned as the merman stopped just short of him and breathed heavily.

"What is it, Hanataro?"

"It's- it's the gang members! They're _here_!"

"Here?" he said, lifting an eyebrow. "Are you sure-"

"Heeeeeey, Yamamoto! I didn't want to wait any longer so we decided to go ahead and come." A jovial but gruff voice said and I turned in the general direction of it.

A man with long flowing wavy brown hair and an eye patch was swimming towards us, a beautiful pink shell-woven net flowing behind him that contrasted with his black tail with teal fins. He was a very unusual looking guy and I prayed to Suijin that he wasn't this Renji fellow.

"Boss Kyoraku." King Yamamoto said and I breathed better. "I wasn't expecting you until two days from now."

"Like I said, we weren't in the waiting mood." He looked at me and I looked away. "Who is your little friend here?"

"This would be Rukia Kuchiki, the promised betrothed." He said, and I felt his hand settle on my shoulder for protection.

This Kyoraku guy smiled brightly and held out his hand to me.

"Nice to meet you. You're a pretty thing. I'm Kyoraku Shunsui, but everyone usually calls me Boss; Boss Kyoraku if you're trying to be polite."

I shook his hand and felt the rough skin of a worker on his palms. He shook my hand pretty eagerly and smiled wide.

"You're so dainty. I don't know if Renji will be able to do much with you."

"I'm not as dainty as you think… sir." I said, pulling my hand from his.

He laughed loudly. "That's the spirit!" He looked back at the king. "She's great! Renji, come and meet your bride-to-be!" he yelled behind him.

"Renji isn't here with us, Boss." A squinty eyed merman said softly. "He slipped away around the time we entered into the High Ninyo territory."

"Why didn't anyone stop him?" Boss Kyoraku growled.

"We tried, but you know him…" he said, a small smirk on his face.

He was really creepy.

"Then where is Ukitake?"

"He went to find him, knowing you would ask for him. I'm sure he'll be back at any moment."

"It seems you are missing a few in your party." The king decided to comment.

"We have a couple of rebels on our hands." Boss Kyoraku mumbled. "Not to worry. I'm sure you aren't even prepared for our arrival yet so the less that is here, the faster the rooms will be made ready, right?"

"Somewhat."

"In the meantime, Kuchiki-san, would you mind showing Gin around the place? He's my bartician."

"Bartician?"

"Yes, he navigates the bars in the area so that I can get to one at all times. I'm a very heavy drinker, you see."

"Ah… um…"

"Not to worry, Kuchiki-san, I'm not as creepy as I look." Gin said, the smirk not helping me see him in another light at all.

I looked at the king and he nodded to me as he listened to Boss Kyoraku telling him something. I sighed and motioned for this Gin fellow to follow me.

"I'm sorry, but I only know of one bar."

"That's really all the boss ever needs. Is it far from here?"

"Um, I don't think it's that far, but that's up to you. You know your boss."

"Indeed."

I frowned a little and took off, Gin right behind me, his coin-silver-like tail glittering in the lights.

* * *

We ended up in front of Big Gulp and I cleared my throat.

"This is the only bar I know. It's my friend's bar so…"

Gin looked around without opening his eyes and I had to wonder how in the world he could even _see_. He was built pretty lithe, not seemingly strong but it looked like he used his brains more than his brawn and despite his use as a bar locator, I'm sure he was good at other things too.

"Would your friend mind someone like me in their bar?"

"I don't see why not."

I really didn't know what Rangiku would do about it but she had mentioned that she wouldn't mind meeting a nice gang member… or something along those lines. I took the lead and swam into the bar. Rangiku looked up and smiled.

"Well, I thought you were going to the palace today?"

"I did and um… well, the gang showed up early."

"Well, aren't they punctual-" she said, stopping mid-sentence.

I turned as Gin swam through the door and Rangiku blinked a little. Gin came up next to me and I motioned to Rangiku.

"Rangiku Matsumoto, this is Gin… er… uh…"

"Ichimaru. But Matsumoto-san can call me whatever she pleases." He said, his eyes slowly opening.

Even I was enthralled at the beautiful sky blue eyes he revealed and Rangiku just stared at him. She then cleared her throat and smiled.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Ichimaru-san. What brings you to my humble bar?"

"I am the bartician for the boss and Kuchiki-sama was kind enough to bring me here."

"What's a bartician?"

"I find bars for the boss to drink at around the area. He likes the drink, you see."

"Indeed. Well, you're welcome any time. I don't have any qualms about gangs as long as you don't cause any trouble."

Gin's smirk widened. "You're most gracious, Matsumoto-san."

"Hey, Gin, what are you doing here?" an obnoxious voice said.

Gin and I turned to find a red headed merman in the doorway of the bar, his shoulder length dark red hair looking like a trail of blood in the water. He was quite muscular with tattoos on his torso that practically disappeared at his crimson tail. He looked like a warrior.

"Ah, Renji, there you are. The boss was looking for you." Gin said casually.

My eyes widened as I stared at Renji, my _betrothed_!

"I'm sure he was. Trying to make me marry some slimy little guppy girl so that we can be ruled over by this pathetic king…"

"Now, now, Renji, I'm sure your bride-to-be is much more than she seems." He said, looking at me. I couldn't tell if he was smirking as a joke or just looking at me.

I wish he would have a different expression. I also noticed he didn't correct his accusation of the king.

"Nah, I know the type." He said, swimming over to the bar. "These noble merfolk are all the same. Prim and proper and uppity. I'm sure she has no skills in fighting, probably doesn't even know what a spear is, and can't stand the sight of blood. She's got another thing coming!" He slammed his hand on the bar. "Two rounds, sweetheart!"

"Coming up…" Rangiku said with a smirk to me.

I didn't tell her who my husband-to-be was because I mean, I just found out myself, but anyone could guess it was him because of his complaining. I guess Renji suddenly saw me and blinked at me.

"Eh, who is this?" he asked, pointing, as Rangiku gave him his drinks.

Gin's smirk reached new lengths and I wondered how his mouth didn't tear.

"This is Rukia Kuchiki… your bride-to-be."

Renji spit his drink out and looked at me with wide brown eyes.

" _Y-You're_ Rukia Kuchiki?"

"Yes."

He just stared at me for a moment and I breathed in, waiting for him to say something. He finally shrugged and grabbed his other drink.

"Eh, you don't look like a _total_ loss."

For some reason, that really pissed me off and before I knew what I was doing, Renji was flying off the stool and barrel rolling across the bar. He landed on a table and I crossed my arms. Renji sat up from the floor and rubbed his cheek and then touched his mouth, where his lip had split open.

"You little bitch!"

"Tut, tut, Renji. You're speaking to your bride-to-be… and she just decked you because you were being rude to her."

"No, I punched you in the face because you were looking down on me… and for what you said." I swam over to him and glared down at him. "I'm not some uppity, spineless noblewoman that doesn't know anything about war or fighting. I trained at the academy and I am not afraid of getting a little dirty… or bloody. I can't believe this is the merman that Boss Kyoraku has for me. A lowly little krill like you? I could swim circles around you any time, any day."

Renji touched his jaw and moved it around. He then looked up at me and gave me a smirk.

"Wanna test that out, Chappy?"

* * *

 **~*~ SEVERAL HOURS LATER~*~**

"By Suijin, what is going _on_?!"

I looked over my shoulder and found King Yamamoto and Boss Kyoraku looking at us. Renji sat up from under me and he wiped his nose of blood.

"Boss." He said. "We uh… um…"

"No, no, I'm intrigued." He said, putting his hand under his chin.

I looked at King Yamamoto, who looked very displeased and I got off of Renji, wiping my mouth.

"What is going on here?" he asked again, the question seeming to be for everyone but more directed at me.

"It's called a Dual Circle." Gin decided to answer. "We do different challenges to find out the victors of fights."

"Why are you fighting?" he asked, looking between the two of us.

"He started it!" I yelled just as he was saying, "She started it!"

"No, _you_ started it by assuming you knew who I was and looking down on me." I growled. "Some husband-to-be you are!"

"Some wife! You just-"

"Beat the shit out of you." Boss Kyoraku said with a broad smile. "This little mermaid beat you."

"That is not true. We were at a draw." Renji said, turning away.

"It looks like someone is a sore loser!" Rangiku yelled obnoxiously, having had a little too many drinks.

King Yamamoto breathed in deeply and turned away.

"Kuchiki-sama, I want you to clean yourself off and come to the palace immediately. Boss Kyoraku, please keep your members in line. At least until the other half of your party arrives."

"And you think _my_ guys are a problem?" He didn't respond and left as Boss Kyoraku looked at me. "Congratulations, Kuchiki-san! You'll fit right in!"

"Um, there's more of you?" I asked.

"Just the other half of my men but they are under the direction of a different merman. Zaraki isn't your normal merman in general."

"He's got shark in him." Renji said. "They are all misfit merfolk, although there are some that are normal. He's the biggest one though and has razor sharp teeth like a shark and the fin of a shark. He is merciless."

"How do you keep someone like that in line?"

"Marry him to someone who is just as bad but can easily fool others. Retsu is pretty devilfishy herself but she can just as easily fit into society."

"Their kid is cute though." Renji mentioned.

"That is true. Come, we need to make a better impression with each other and the king. We won't be here for long if you cooperate."

"If you don't mind, Boss Kyoraku, I would like to escort Matsumoto-san to her home?" Gin said.

"Of course."

* * *

 **so here the two betrothed finally meet and what a meeting! creepy gang members, obnoxious grooms, a WWE match! and a whole separate section of gang members dedicated to misfit merfolk, as in those not with just a fish tail. that'll be fun.**

 **also, it is going to take a bit before ichigo comes in. i apologize in advance about this but i assure you that the story is ichiruki.**

 **also, gin's tail is like silver, the metal, not the color. it was hard to describe that ^^;**


	3. Rukia - 3

**the other half has arrived. and i know that he's a cecaelia, an octoperson, but we get to that later.**

 **sukeban means delinquent girl or usually the leader of a girl gang. that's why they call her that jsyk**

* * *

After I fixed myself up and washed off, I was summoned to the banquet hall. King Yamamoto met me outside of it and stared at me intensely for a moment. I was quite uncomfortable, not knowing what he was going to say to me.

"Kuchiki-sama, you are aware that your betrothal to Abarai-san is most important for the safety of High Ningyo Society as well as its citizens, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"It is imperative that you keep your dignity and pride as a noble intact when around these savage people. They do not regard authority the same as we do here. Giving in to their… ways is not going to make a good impression."

 _I thought it made a pretty good one…_ I thought but only nodded in agreement.

"When the other half of the gang comes, please try to keep yourself up in a dignified fashion, as I have heard from Boss Kyoraku that they are less civil than is group."

"And… when are they coming?"

"Tonight or tomorrow."

I nodded as the doors opened and we swam into the banquet hall. Renji was sitting next to Boss Kyoraku, who was at the head of the table. I saw King Yamamoto visibly prickle and I had to stifle a laugh at the audacity of the gang leader. When he saw the king, Boss Kyoraku held up a seashell that was probably full of liquor.

"Heeey, King Yamamoto! What took you so long?"

The king plastered a fake smile and sat at the other side of Boss Kyoraku. They began to talk discursively as I slowly swam to the seat beside the king. There were a couple of other gang members I didn't get to see since I was helping Gin. There was a very pretty one with almost pearlescent long white hair sitting next to Gin. There was also a petite young lady in the corner of the room with her black hair tied up in a bun of sorts. There were various others but now that I looked around, I could see that the gang wasn't nearly as big enough to be causing as many problems as the king said they were.

"You are very quiet this evening, Rukia-sama." I heard someone say and I jumped at Gin's suddenly presence beside me.

I didn't even know he had moved from the other side of the table.

"I'm just tired from the fight."

"You fought well. A natural."

"I'm not sure how I should take that."

"Hmm, I guess it depends on how you view yourself. If you want to view yourself as you are now, the noblewoman of a noble High Ningyo Society family, then it would be quite appalling. But, if you want to view yourself as what you will _become_ , which is the wife of a gang member, then view it as a compliment."

Rukia thought for a moment when the doors burst open and the little merman from before swam in at an alarming rate.

"Milord!"

"Hanatoro, why do you keep interrupting me when I'm-"

"It's-"

"BAGGY EYES!" a young voice squealed and a flurry of pink seemed to come in at an alarming rate.

Hanatoro screamed as the pink thing connected with him and they rolled halfway across the room, stopping close to the mermaid in the corner. She only looked at them and made a face.

"Yachiru, you're being too rough." Was all she said.

I looked closer at the pink thing and realized that it was a little mermaid, but her tail was… odd.

"Yachiru, come." A regal sounding voice echoed into the room.

"Aww!" the little mermaid, Yachiru, said as she got up and swam to the door.

Hanatoro looked like he was about to die of fright and the very pretty white-haired merman swam over to him. Boss Kyoraku got up and swam to the door as a merwoman wearing a blood red net that looked like blood was pooling behind her swam in slowly. I'd never seen people wear weapons that the Uppers used against our kind so elegantly. I never knew you could make something so scary into something so beautiful in the first place. Boss Kyoraku wowed me with his own shell-woven net but this net-wear was unique.

"Ah, Sukeban Retsu, I'm so glad you could make it." he said to her.

She turned, her loose black hair like ink.

"Boss Kyoraku." She said and then turned to look at the king. "King Yamamoto."

King Yamamoto got up and started to swim towards this Retsu woman when Boss Kyoraku grabbed his arm.

"Uh, no… just stay put."

I thought the king was going to throttle the Boss.

"You're lucky my boss did that." Gin said in my ear.

I jumped because I had forgotten he was there.

"Why?"

"Boss Kenpachi and Sukeban Retsu are the easiest of our gang to engage in a fight. It doesn't take much to provoke them. Approaching them, if you are outside of our gang, is like asking for a fight. If your king would have gotten any closer, there would have been bloodshed."

"A little much." I mumbled.

"Do you know how Sukeban Retsu gets her net-wear so red?"

"H-how?" I wasn't sure I really wanted to know.

"The net itself is soaked in the blood of her victims. To keep it from getting diluted, she swims to the surface to a secret underwater cave and drains the person of all their blood into a bucket. She then stuffs the net into it. She lets it stay there for three days and then takes it out. She then steals this Upper Level stuff called 'turpentine' and dries out some sea water to gain salt. She then puts it in that for a day, which sets the color. As you can see, it never bleeds…"

I gulped as Sukeban Retsu seemed to gently take King Yamamoto's hand and kiss it.

"Pleasure to meet you, your highness." She said. "Boss Kyoraku, I will consider the king as part of our gang. There is no need to keep him."

Boss Kyoraku nodded and let go of the king.

"And is the other half of your party coming?"

"Oh yes, they should be here at any moment in time."

"Okaa-san."

Sukeban Retsu looked down at the little pink girl and smiled.

"Yes, Yachiru?"

"When is Oto-san coming? I want him to see my friend." She said, pointing to the still frightened Hanatoro.

"He was right behind us when we came in. Why don't you try to find him."

Yachiru smiled and swam quickly out of the room.

Renji got up and bowed to her.

"Sukeban Retsu."

"Renji. Have you met your betrothed?"

He sneered and I frowned as he dismissively motioned over at me. Sukeban Retsu turned to me and I finally understood why her daughter looked odd. Renji had mentioned that the other half of the gang were misfit merfolk. I could tell now that Sukeban Retsu was a sharkmaid, along with her daughter.

"You are a delicate thing, aren't you?" she said with a smile but I wasn't sure if that was sarcasm.

She spoke with such a genuine calm but her face showed danger. I was instantly afraid of her but I knew I couldn't be. I was going to be a part of this gang and I had to make sure that I wasn't going to get swam all over.

"That's what I said." Renji snarked.

"You shut up." I growled back at him without realizing it.

Sukeban Retsu smiled again and the danger that had been there was replaced with… something less dangerous.

"I like her so far."

A loud yawn echoed in the hallway as two mermen came into the room. Or rather, I am mistaken. A merman with the lower half of an octopus and a merman with the lower half of a crab came into the room.

"Such a boring fight. I thought the royal guards would be much harder to take out." The merocto? Mertopus? Said.

I'll have to figure out the correct terminology. There aren't very many of his kind around and I know that there aren't very many _males_ of his kind either.

"What did you expect from pampered nudibranches?" the mercrab said, ticking in quickly. "It's not like they can really put up a fight."

A mermaid with a black tail and short hair swam in and looked around.

"Ugh, the opulence…" she mumbled.

Yachiru swam back in and headed straight for Hanataro. He was shaking as she dragged him to the door, where an ominous feeling was slowly seeping through the opening.

"See, Oto-san? This is my friend."

The largest merman I had ever seen came through the door, his long dark gray shark tale almost causing a current to sweep through the door. He turned to Hanataro, who I thought was going to die.

"Yachiru, I thought I told you not to play with your food."

The poor merman looked like he really had died in Yachiru's arms as she frowned at her father.

"He's not food. He's my friend." She looked back at him. "Aw, you killed him!"

"May I suggest leaving him alone for a few moments? He's probably in shock." A smooth voice said from behind the large mershark.

The mershark moved his massive arm as a mer-ray flew in delicately. His brown hair was cut short and he seemed almost as regal as Sukeban Retsu.

"Ai-Ai, why do you gotta take all the fun?"

"Regular merfolk aren't accustomed to our appearances, no more our unusual strength. You were just too much for him at the moment. When he calms down then you may be able to play with him some more."

Yachiru dropped Hanataro and pouted.

King Yamamoto cleared his throat.

"It's so good of you all to join us tonight. Please enjoy the feast that will be soon coming through. You are all guests in the palace and will be treated with the highest authority."

"Well isn't that adorable?" the mershark said.

"Zaraki." Sukeban Retsu said. "Please be kind to our host."

As if he had been stung, the mershark, Kenpachi, said nothing else.

"Well, if that's the rest of you…"

"That's not actually all of us. We're just the important people you need to speak with." Boss Kyoraku said, suddenly becoming quite menacing. "At least the three of us are. If you don't mind, we would like to speak with you in private."

The king seemed a little taken aback by that but he nodded.

"If I may have my faithful advisor, Chojiro, here as well? You must my concern being in the room with three high profile gang leaders that all happen to be a part of the same gang."

"Duly noted."

"Everyone else is excluded from the conversation." Sukeban Retsu said, looking over everyone. "So please remove yourselves."

Although said with sweet undertones, a threat loomed there and I was happy to get away.

* * *

Since our dinner was cancelled, I decided to go and make sure Rangiku was alright when I swam past a hallway and thought I saw a pool of red. I stopped and swam back, looking around the pillar. There I saw Renji with that other mermaid that had come with the misfit group. They were close together, almost touching noses. I _had_ to see what was going on! I swam one pillar at a time closer to them until I was practically right on them.

"They can't tear us apart." I heard the girl say.

"I told you we should have announced our affection for each other but you didn't want to. Now look what's happened." Renji growled. "I'm betrothed and am going to have to marry a noblewoman."

"I regret every day that I didn't say anything. I mean, you're not married yet, right? Why not say something now?"

"I _did_ when he picked me and he said that since it wasn't officially announced throughout the gang, it doesn't matter. This union will help us gain access to many things. We won't have to fight for food anymore or territory because we'll be given the chance to set boundaries. We will have so many things at our disposal."

"At the cost of our love? You would marry that sea cow before trying to get with me?"

"I never said I would break it off with you."

The girl scoffed. "I will _not_ be your side action. You were forced to make this decision-"

"No I wasn't." I was quite surprised by that response. "I chose to do this because it would make a better life for those in the clan. Those like Boss Zaraki and the other misfit merfolk? They would be able to be free of their discrimination, treated as proper merfolk should be treated. Boss Kyoraku made a gang because he wanted justice for those who had none."

"Wow, Renji, I didn't know you were so honorable." The woman mocked.

I don't know who she is but she makes me want to gag!

"Come on, Sui-Fon…" She had swum away and I moved so I wouldn't be seen as he swam after her. "You might even like her. Despite her being a bit of an idiot, she has spirit. I'm not saying I'm going to actually 'like' her, but she's tolerable enough. Hey, think about it this way: maybe you can convince her _not_ to like me and we can call off the engagement."

This Sui-Fon woman turned, her dark eyes sparkling with something sinister.

"You'd let me sabotage your engagement?"

"Of course I would." He said, swimming slowly to her. He put his hands on her cheeks. "If I didn't love you, then why wouldn't I try to fight? I can't do it straight forward but if _you_ can get _her_ to call it off, I will immediately tell the boss."

He kissed her passionately and Sui-Fon smiled a little.

"Alright. I'll meet the little sharkbait."

They swam off and I clenched my fists. I didn't want to marry Renji but knowing that that slimy dogfish was going to try and get me to forfeit? She had another thing coming. I was supposed to help bring the two factions together and by Suijin, I will do it.

As my duty of being a noblewoman of the Kuchiki Clan.

If only Nii-sama could see me now. He'd be so proud.

* * *

 **ah rukia, trying to be so good. i wonder how long you can keep that up? and renji/suifon? not a pairing a like but i think some people do it.**

 **and yes, aizen is in this because you can't have sneaky gin with out smooth aizen. don't worry, they aren't up to any trouble. aizen is perfect as a sting ray because they glide so nicely in the water until you make them mad and then BAM! never saw it coming.**

 **and poor hanataro. yachiru has her sights on you and you will never be the same**

 **so how will this prevail?**


	4. Rukia - 4

**just to remind everyone, yes, this is a rukichi fanfic but it's gonna take a little bit to get to it. not much longer though so please be patient**

 **oh and kelp-lager = underwater beer and anenome-liquor = underwater sake**

* * *

I headed to Rangiku's place when a merperson swam in front of me and I stopped quickly, almost colliding into them.

"Hey, watch where you're swimming!" I yelled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

I realized it was that girl from before and crossed my arms.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Sui-Fon, part of the gang that has come to High Ningyo Society. And you are?"

"Rukia Kuchiki."

"Oh! So you're the mermaid that Renji is betrothed to?" she said with a fake smile.

"Yeah, that would be me."

"How sweet! You're so adorable and fair." Sui-Fon began to swim around me slowly. "Yes, so delicate."

"I'm _not_ delicate. Why do you merfolk keep saying that about me?"

"Well, did you expect us to think you were anything but? I mean, your skin is so shiny and like those things Uppers have… what are they called? Dolls? Anyway, you look like your skin was chiseled from pearls and your hair from the best ink under the sea. Your eyes look like someone cut two holes in the vastness of the sea and set them in there. You're the essence of perfection."

"I'm not sure if you're complimenting me, mocking me, or flattering me."

Sui-Fon smirked and turned her head, putting her finger on her chin.

"Can't it be all three?"

I wanted to choke this lamprey with all my might but luckily I was on to her game and just smiled at her.

"I guess it can. Then again, I wish I had some nice words to say about you but… it looks like you got caught in an oil spill and didn't get yourself out in time." Sui-Fon's eyes widened in shock. "I mean… you look so dreary and unbecoming. If I could find something nice to say I would definitely say it but since I can't, well… I was always taught to not say anything at all in those instances."

"How dare you…"

"Do you think I'm scared of you, Sui-Fon?" I asked, getting in her face. "I think you can think again. I may look delicate but don't test me, sea cow. I'm like the mantis shrimp. I look innocent but when you least expect it," I clapped, making a bubble that popped loudly in her face. "There I'll be and there you'll be, in my trap."

I hummed as I swam away, happy that I didn't feel guilty for acting the way I did. It felt good to just say what I wanted to someone being bitchy to me. I wish I could have done it so many times to Hisana… oh well…

* * *

I finally got to Rangiku's and opened the door but I was surprised that most of the gang was there, minus Renji and Sui-Fon, and Rangiku waved at me from the bar.

"Hey!"

I swam over and she grinned at me.

"Can you believe this? Gin told everyone about the bar and now I'm getting double and triple orders! It's so nice to finally have some business again. These nobles are such prudes sometimes with the drinks… but these guys-"

"Hey, Bartender, you think you could send us another round of these?!" a member yelled from a far table, dangling a glass.

"Sure thing! For just you or the whole table?"

The whole table held up their glasses in unison and gave a triumphant yell at more alcohol. Rangiku seemed happy with the results.

"I'm so excited about this! They even like my homemade brews!"

She went over to a door and banged on it. It opened and Gin poked his head out.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"The back table wants another original blend, five glasses."

"Coming right up." He said and looked at me. "Kuchiki-san, lovely to see you here."

He popped back in and I made a face at Rangiku.

"What's he doing back there?"

"Oh, uh, well, when I woke up from my horrible display of drunkenness this afternoon, I heard someone pounding on the door. I opened it up and it was Ichimaru-san. He said that he came to let me know that dinner was cancelled due to a meeting with the bosses of the gang and the king and wanted to warn me about the possibility of the gang coming here. He said that he had mentioned Big Gulp to them and they are always looking for a drink. About an hour later, the first wave of them came in and after a while, I began to run out of draft and I had to use my own brews and now everyone loves my home brews so Gin is taking them out of storage."

"You made that many?"

"The bar was pretty dead most of the time, so I had to do _something_ to make a little extra. Besides, I have two things that I make, kelp-lager and anemone-liquor. They've been a huge hit in the outer sectors but now they're a huge hit here! I'll be making enough to make more as well as do a little redecorating."

"Why do you need to redecorate? It looks nice already."

"I need to replace this bar and I want to make a better cellar for my original stuff. That and I need to have a spare on hand for the regular stuff."

The door opened and the mercrab from before scuttled out with a tray, looking unhappy. I made a face.

"You actually have them working for you?"

"Gin said he would set aside a whole keg of anemone-liquor for Ikkaku-san if he helped out. He's been doing well so far." She said with a smirk.

I had to commend her in 'taming' some of these guys. I mean, I could hardly keep my betrothed from flying off the handle but Rangiku somehow singlehandedly got on the creepy guy's good side and has at least one of the misfit merfolk working for her. I watched her for a second and frowned, looking down at myself. It's her breasts… They are so large and shapely and all the mermen love them (not just on her but anyone) but mine… well… I may as _well_ be a merman.

No wonder Renji doesn't care for me and no wonder Nii-sama chose Hisana. I mean, Hisana's aren't that much bigger but she made them stand out with expertly placed chest displays and the like… I shook my head. Nii-sama isn't that type of merman. He doesn't look at the physical attributes of a merperson, but the inside. _Then again, why didn't he pick me?_ I thought when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and was surprised to find Renji looking at me. Apparently, so was the whole bar because it suddenly got deathly quiet.

"Can we talk? Civilly." He said with a small smile.

I nodded and followed him out of the bar.

* * *

We swam next to each other for a little bit, coming upon a kelp forest.

"You're of a noble family, right?" he asked as he entered the forest.

I gulped, having never been in a kelp forest but followed after him.

"Yes." I finally answered.

"By the apprehension on your face, I will assume you've never been in a kelp forest." he said with a smirk.

"I've been told not to go into one. They are dark and mysterious and can hold lots of dangers."

"They also lead to the surface, did you know that?"

"What?"

He stopped swimming and turned to me.

"Kelp grows approximately two feet a day, as long as no one messes with it. That's why a kelp forest is dangerous, because it's so large and vast. The other problem is that unhindered, the forest grows right up to the surface."

"I see."

"Prove to me that you are more than just a pretty little pearl amongst empty oyster shells." I looked back at him. "Swim."

"Swim… up there?" I pointed.

He nodded. "Give me some sort of proof that I'm not marrying a hindrance. What can you give to our gang? Strength? Doubt it. Fighting abilities? Maybe. But bravery is the highest among being in our gang. So… be brave. Prove it to me."

I clenched my fists and set my jaw because I was so _tired_ of this! I'm so tired of having to prove my worth or work harder than everyone else just so someone can see how much I can do!

"I don't need to prove anything to you." I swam over to him and pointed my finger in his chest. "I don't need to prove myself to you, to my brother, my sister, the king, or anyone! I have a lot of fine attributes to contribute and I don't need to risk my life for no apparently reason and especially not for someone like _you_. You're the finest warrior that they had? Pfft, give me a break. I could fight guppies stronger than you. So how about you prove something to _me_? How about you show _me_ a reason why I'm having to give up my whole life to make good with you and your stupid gang?"

In the blink of an eye, I was in his arms. It was so sudden that I didn't even notice until I was touching his chest and looking directly into his brown eyes.

"You passed." He said softly.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"I was hoping that you had some brains on you. I was making sure you weren't a ditz."

"Huh?"

"There are… mermaids who throw themselves at certain people, doing all they can to get their attention and compliments. 'Brown nosing' is what the Uppers call it, I believe. To prove their love to you, they would do the stupidest things, even at the risk of their own lives, to prove themselves to people who don't care about them. I was making sure that you weren't that type of mermaid."

"Considering I didn't exactly want to get married to help out High Ningyo Society, why does this matter?"

"Because it means that you can make decisions for yourself and you can also make those decisions based off of your own will and not to please or cater. You're independent."

"Why? Is Sui-Fon not?"

Renji pushed himself away from me and crossed his arms.

"Sui-Fon has nothing to do with this."

"Really? Because I'm not stupid, as you said, and I heard you two talking about cutting off the engagement. I'm not exactly happy to be thrown to the sharks here, but your boss wants to make peace and so does the king. That's the only thing that is making this happen. I heard how you want peace to prevail and sometimes… we have to do our duties and suck it up."

"I know this. But Sui-Fon doesn't. If you were properly eavesdropping on the conversation then you would know that."

"I do."

"Then you'll understand what I mean by following blindly. I can guarantee you that she will try to make you break up the engagement, just like I asked her to. Because she can't think for herself. She's single-minded. I apologize for the way I acted earlier. As you said, there are things we must do as duty, and this marriage is part of mine. So… I would like to give us another shot."

I honestly didn't want to give it to him but he seemed quite sincere about the mission he was given and both of us knew that are lives were now going to be tied to a person we didn't like all for peace. We were in the same boat.

"Alright then…"

* * *

The next couple of weeks was like a complete dream. Renji made good on his promise to restart and what a restart! He was so charming at times and treated me with respect. He respected my opinion and even let me spar with him. When he saw how good I was, he even told Boss Kyoraku. All was going well and I was actually… I was actually falling in love with his merman. He was funny at times and seemed to love a good time and after getting to know a lot of the misfit merfolk, I realized that they were not as horrible as they were made out to be. Well, everyone under Boss Zaraki and Sukeban Retsu; they were still really odd to be around. Yachiru was warming up to me and it was common to see Rangiku with Gin. I think they make an… odd little couple. Mostly because Rangiku so out there and boisterous while Gin was more like a sea snake, slithery and always looked like he was ready to cause the bad kind of trouble.

After much deliberation, the time for the wedding was drawing near and my sister decided she wanted to throw some sort of party that was a cross between a going away party and a wedding party.

* * *

Hisana gave me a look.

"Do I have to invite… _them_?" she said, frowning at my list.

"Considering that's my new family, yeah. And the fact that they are gang members who really don't have any qualms coming over here and killing you, I'd play it safe."

"But these… these misfits… I don't want merfolk like that in my house. What will the others think?"

"Nothing, because you live in the largest noble house in High Ningyo Society with the highest walls. You don't have neighbors to have be disgusted."

Hisana frowned. "You've gotten so direct ever since you left. I don't have to do this, you know?"

"Then why are you? It's not like you're happy about the wedding part. This is a going away party with a tiny sprinkle of a wedding party to make you not look bad."

Hisana frowned. "I take offense to that."

"Good."

She huffed. "Rukia, you're being so difficult. _Of course_ I'm happy for you in all things regarding this."

I watched her for a second and then started laughing. She looked at me in confusion.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You're jealous!"

"Over what? Your barbaric new husband?"

"You're jealous that this wedding is something the king proposed to me to do and that I'm technically friends with him. _I'm_ changing the course of history with this treaty/engagement and you're pissed off because you're married to Nii-sama."

"That is preposterous. I love Byakuya with everything I have."

"You love Byakuya _because_ of everything you have. If Byakuya were to lose his status as a mer-noble, would you still love him?"

"You're making fantastical scenarios. Byakuya is too perfect to mess things up for the Kuchikis, that's why being a mer-noble is as solid as volcanic rock in this clan. He's a perfectionist, too nitpicky about the law, and many other obsessive attributes that guarantee the Kuchikis their position."

"Then let's just say that he got drunk one night and did something that made the Kuchikis fall from grace. They ended up in the Sea Floor Community with no skills whatsoever? Or, since he has a zanpakuto, he became just a normal soldier; not a captain, not a lieutenant, not even a seated officer, just a soldier. Then what?"

"Well it's quite obvious that I can't go back to that life. I don't know what I'd do… But it doesn't matter because it will never happen."

"Humor me."

Hisana sighed and turned to me fully. "I would probably try to find another house to be in."

"How would that work? They would know who you were."

"I'd beseech myself to them and then woo my way up the ladder. How do you think I got Byakuya wrapped around my little finger? As I told you before, Little Sister, charm and beauty get you anything and everything."

I sighed, rolling my eyes, when I saw something move from the crack of the door.

"I'm going to get something to drink."

She waved me off and I left the room, going down the hallway.

It was Byakuya.

"Nii-sama!" He turned to me and waited for me to catch up. "It's been a long time."

He actually had a ghost of a smile for me.

"So it has. I hear you are happy with your fiancé."

"We worked out the kinks… Are you alright? You look troubled."

"Some recent news has come to light and I'm not sure how I should process it."

My eyes widened. _He heard…_

"Is it something I can maybe help you with?"

Byakuya actually did smile but it didn't reach his eyes. "Not anymore. I'm looking forward to your party. I think you'll enjoy my gift." He said with a change in tone.

He swam off and I was left in the hallway feeling so sorry for him. He just heard that my sister technically didn't love him when I knew he loved her with all his being.

This didn't work out so well.

* * *

 **i'm kind of liking this hisana being a bitch thing. it's really fun! and poor byakuya! i have had requests to go deeper into rukia's former crush on byabya so its fun to do something a little different. in regards to renji/sui-fon though, she really is kind of single minded. even in the show she's like that but renji really wasn't into it. he likes strength in all shapes and forms but if you can have physical and mental strength then what a plus.**

 **so what is he gonna give her as a gift?**

 **as mentioned, the rukichi-ness is coming soon. i promise. thanks for being patient!**


	5. Rukia - 5

**i've honestly decided that I like mean hisana. it's more fun that way with everything haha. and sorry for lack of updates but life and work**

 **ps: remember - high ningyo society = seireitei and sea floor community = rukon district**

* * *

 **ELSEWHERE**

A man in a dark green T-shirt and cut off jeans was whistling a happy tune at the docks around twilight. He had a fishing pole in his hands and was drinking some hot sake to keep off the slight chill of the early morning.

"Ah, what a beautiful morning! The fish are biting, my sake is keeping me warm, and by the feel of the breeze today will have a nice overcast to it. Not too dreary, not pouring down rain. What could _possibly_ make this any better?"

"Excuse me?" The man made a face and turned but didn't see anyone behind him. "Down here."

He leaned forward to look over the edge of the dock and smiled.

"Well I'll be. Today _has_ gotten better. I don't see many of your folk about."

"You're not surprised?"

"I deal with a great deal of creatures ranging from ordinary to unordinary; a mermaid is rare but something I have dealt with before. You folk don't come to the surface too often unless you're in search of something specific." He smirked a little. "Pray tell is _your_ reason?"

"I'm looking for someone rumored to hang about the shores by the name of Urahara-san. I hear he has many items that are useful to us."

The man pulled his fishing pole up and set it on the dock next to his geta shoes and picked up a green striped hat.

"I believe you've come to the right place."

The mermaid made a face. " _You're_ Urahara-san?"

"Careful, miss. Appearances are often deceiving, for even the most powerful gods disguise themselves as beggars to test our hearts."

"Very true; please forgive my conclusions."

"You're fine." Urahara crossed his legs and leaned on his knees. "Now, what can I do for you, Mermaid-san?"

* * *

 **RUKIA**

This was annoying. Too many people were invited to this party. Half of them I didn't even know and I honestly don't even think Hisana knew them either… in fact even Nii-sama probably didn't know them on a first name basis… Not only that, but I had to greet all of them for coming when this was supposed to be _my_ party! How did I end up the greeter?! If nothing else, it would have been better if Renji were with me but he was in a deep discussion between Boss Kyoraku and King Yamamoto. I think Boss Zaraki was supposed to be with that group but he was too busy trying to keep Yachiru in line and poor Hanataro was being used as bait for her. If he survives, I think I'll send him an anemone bouquet or something soothing…

"You have a lot of friends."

I gasped and turned around. "Sukeban Retsu…"

"You don't have to call me such proper titles; Just Retsu-san or Unohana-san will suffice. We will be in the same gang, you'll just be starting another branch of it… which will make us equals."

"Oh… I don't think I'll ever be worthy of that honor. I thank you for giving me the choice though; I'd just still feel awkward doing it."

Sukeban Retsu nodded a little and moved her hair around her shoulder, beginning to braid it.

"You and Renji will make a nice couple. Your inner strength really shows when you're with him. As I try to explain to my brutish husband, sometimes that sort of strength is the best kind."

"Nii-sama says the same thing."

"Your 'Nii-sama'… isn't he the host of this party?"

"Kind of. It's more my sister but he's over there talking to some other mernobles." I say, pointing.

We looked over as he spoke to the other mernobles with Hisana on his arm listening to every word. I don't know what she thought she was going to gather from whatever they were speaking of; it's not like she was a political genius.

"He doesn't really seem your type."

"Pardon me?" I asked, looking back.

"Call it mermaid intuition, but you have feelings other than a sense of familial duty towards Kuchiki-sama. You _are_ adopted, right?"

"How…"

"I have my sources." She turned to me suddenly and I noticed an odd look in her eyes. "You love Renji, right?"

"Yes, I do."

"Indeed." Was all she said and glided her way through the water in that graceful manner of all sharks.

What was she trying to say? I have dedicated my full attention to Renji and in all honesty, other than what happened with Hisana, I haven't thought of Nii-sama in a romantic way even once since I realized what Renji was all about.

"She scares even me sometimes."

"Ichimaru-san."

"You're learning…" he said, swimming from behind me. I smiled as he let his smirk stretch. "Lovely party. Your sister is quite the planner."

"Yeah. Mrs. Perfection."

"She seems quite charming…" I looked at him as he stared towards my sister. "She's not very good at faking her hunger though."

"Hunger?"

"Yes, well, being in a gang can make you in tune with a lot different people. Your sister reeks of the want of status. It's quite evident if you watch her that her appearance and the approval of others are high on her list."

"You got that right. I mean, I've always noticed it but is she really that easy to figure out?"

Gin put his arm around me and we got close together, watching my sister.

"Watch how she acts. She's too forceful. She laughs too loudly, smiles too wide, stands a little straighter than necessary. She's an act."

I watched her and realized that he was right. I knew mentally she was like that but I didn't know someone could see it physically.

"Wow… She acts so… _desperate_."

"Yes, well, a commoner thrown into the whimsy of nobility will do that to a merperson… but you seem to have kept yourself… well, yourself."

"Why are we getting into the history of me now, after a couple of weeks?"

"We don't talk much on a one on one basis."

"True…"

"I also mention her because I saw something earlier that was quite puzzling." I turned to him. "I saw her speaking with Sui-Fon a little bit before the party. Usually I wouldn't even care but Sui-Fon is not exactly popular with any of us and your sister doesn't seem the type to consort with people like her. I think they might be planning something. Nothing too bad but… enough."

"Um, thanks. I'll make sure to try and keep my guard up."

"Indeed. Have you seen Matsumoto-san?"

I smiled. "She's at the bar."

He swam away but I frowned. What could those two possibly gain from one another?

* * *

"To Rukia and Renji, may you both have a long and happy marriage." Hisana toasted at the dinner table.

"To you both." Nii-sama said.

Everyone lifted their glasses in a unified toast and then drank from their cups. Renji smiled at me as he held my hand and I smiled back. I couldn't wait to be with him behind closed doors, where I knew a different sort of man lay waiting under his tough exterior. I had seen it a few times in our courting, a shy and slightly vulnerable man, but I wanted that part of him all to myself.

"I want to thank everyone invited, especially those under Boss Kyoraku and Boss Zaraki, for coming tonight." Nii-sama announced, getting up from his seat. "The joining of these two marks a symbolic time in High Ningyo Society. We can have peace between the upper and lower classes, royalty and gangs, ordinary and… extra-ordinary merfolk." Nii-sama could put things so well into words sometimes. We all knew he was talking about the misfit merfolk. He turned to us. "You two are the start of something new. I know we were going to save gift giving for later, but I thought I'd present my gift now, as the one who will be giving you away."

He motioned for the guards to come and they set down an elegant chest that was made of obsidian. I watched Hisana for a moment and noticed she lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. Nii-sama opened up the small chest and panned it around for everyone to see. When he panned to Hisana, her body went rigid.

"This wedding set was my mother's. My father bought it as an engagement present to her and now I give it to you."

I looked at the wedding set in awe. The beautifully intricate chest displays were made out of red coral with black pearls around the edges; the earrings, necklace, and ring were a combination red coral and abalone shell. This wedding set was really rare because it also included a diadem and a fin wrap. The diadem was astonishing! It was made almost completely of obsidian with abalone shell weaved through it and then had red corals as jewels with a dangling pink pearl. The fin wrap was made of alternating abalone shell and red coral with pink pearls at the cross sections where you 'button' it onto your fin. It was… too extravagant.

"Nii-sama… I… thank you…" I said, taking the small chest. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I am happy to give it to you." He turned to the rest of the table. "Come, let's eat and then we will commence with the rest of the celebration."

* * *

After the long night of dancing and gift giving and a brawl (provided by Ikkaku and a guard), I was bushed! I fell on my bed and sighed, exhausted. It was fun and I was so happy… I looked at the chest on my vanity and sighed a little. Why would Nii-sama give me that? Such an extravagant gift? There was a knock on the door and I told them to come in.

"You little bitch."

I looked up in confusion and saw Hisana standing there, her arms crossed.

"What?"

"Who do you think you are? Just _who_ do you think you _are_?!"

"I'm not following you."

"Do you know how much I wanted that set?! I saw a picture of Byakuya's parents on their wedding day and I knew that I wanted that set. I _begged_ Byakuya to give it to me at some point in time but he would never let me have it. And then you… you come along and get married to that- that hoodlum and he gives them to you? To waste away in your little hovel that you'll probably have to live in? To have to sell when the going gets tough? You are not worthy of that set."

"If I recall, Sister, I was told that Byakuya _did_ offer you his mother's marriage set but you refused them saying 'I don't want some hand-me-down set. I want a new set that belongs to me' and so he bought you a new wedding set. You saw the picture _after_ you were married, you slimy sea slug."

She gasped overdramatically. "How dare you call me that!"

"Because coming into someone's room and just calling them a bitch is any better? Face it, Hisana, your idiotic schemes of climbing up the ladder only keep backfiring on you. You won Byakuya's heart with your fake demeanor but your attitude gives you away. Byakuya loves you though, for some weird reason, and so he tolerates you, but you'll never escape the truth: you are a Sea Floor girl and will _always_ be a Sea floor girl. Finding me was just some humanitarian act on your part to seem as if you cared for me but if you did, you would have treated me as your equal. Instead, you hindered me from my original goals and made me do servant work… because you wanted to remind me of who I was. I didn't need _you_ to do that. _I_ never forgot where I came from.

"Now that things are turning towards more favor to me, you're starting to show your true colors. I was elected to marry a gang member to secure peace to the kingdom, I'm quite good friends with the king and will go down in history for changing the way we view others, and I'll be co-leader to a new division of the gangs. Despite what you think, they are better off than you realize. Did you ever think that maybe your mask is falling off and Byakuya sees who you truly are?"

Hisana suddenly attacked me, pinning me to the floor and we began to fight. She shoved me hard into the footboard and I hit my head, putting me in a daze. I was trying to grab my bearings when I saw Hisana over me.

"I should have done something like this a long time ago. You're in the way, Sister."

Hisana put this tiny bottle to my lips and made me drink this stuff. I got even more lightheaded than I already was and saw that the world was getting bigger around me. I felt something grab me and tried to stay awake. Somehow I've been shrunk! Hisana put me in this weird bag and tied the top of it. She looked in and smirked at me.

"How will everyone feel about you now if you've run away from all your duties like a wimp? How much will they praise you then?" She poised her fingers for a flick. "Sleep tight, Rukia."

She flicked the bag and hit my face and I blacked out completely.

* * *

 **well now, what's this? that hisana is a trip and a jealous little guppy. maybe if you weren't a gold digger, you wouldn't be so angry. go 'head girl and get gone...**

 **and the fin wrap is like a long string of pearls (or whatever) that starts at the waist and then you kind of cross it around your tail to the fin. you can get the long strand or you can get a faux crossing that actually 'buttons' an goes on like a vest. i really wish i could explain it better *sob***

 **anyway, now we're cooking and we will be getting on towards the ichiruki soon. bombs away...**


	6. Ichigo - 1

**so this will be in ichigo's pov for a bit. also, since this is an au and there are technically no shinigami for ichigo to see, he instead just has a problem with the local yokai. there will be a small yokai class after the chapter so that you will understand what the ones i mention are.**

* * *

"Nii-san, we want to go to the festival!" Yuzu cried as she grabbed a hold of my arm.

"We don't _have_ to go to it." my other sister, Karin, said as she folded her arms.

"Yes we do!" Yuzu yelled, looking at Karin.

"I'm fine just staying here and watching TV. Besides, it's just a minor festival anyway."

Yuzu looked up at me with puppy-dog eyes and I just couldn't resist.

"Alright, alright, if you want to go that badly we will."

Yuzu smiled and Karin looked away.

"I guess if you're going, Ichi-nii, then I'll come too."

Yuzu looked at her twin in shock. "Karin! How come you're so mean? You didn't want to go with me?"

"I just didn't want to go at all but I'm not going to get stuck here when Dad gets home. He's so loud and makes me lose my concentration when I'm playing video games. I'd rather just go to the dumb festival than be stuck here with him."

"When is the festival?"

"It's tomorrow night! Will you win us some goldfish, Nii-san? I want some new ones."

I looked over at the fish tank where four goldfish were swimming around. I hated that fish tank. I'm not fond of having a fish for a pet. They are useless and don't do anything. You can't even play with them. They just sit and stare at you and all you can do is sit and stare at them.

"Can't we try something a little more useful? Like toy scooping or ring toss?"

"I want goldfish." Yuzu said with a pout.

I made a face. "We'll see about it then."

Yuzu smiled and walked off, heading to the kitchen.

My name is Ichigo Kurosaki and I live in Karakura Town with my dad and my twin younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin. Our mother died a few years after my sisters were born when she was bringing me back home from the dojo. A car swerved off the road and hit her because she was protecting me. She threw me behind her to keep it from hitting me but when it hit her, it pushed me off the bridge and I fell into the water. I would have drowned but I was saved by something. Looking back, I thought it may have been a mermaid but since it was a river, I have a feeling it was a kappa.

Ever since that time, I've been able to see the yokai that hide out here. I think I hit my head or something, but at first it was really hard to realize that the creatures I was seeing couldn't be seen by anyone else. For a while, my dad thought I was having bad hallucinations or something and took me to the doctor to get checked. Nothing really helped and I realized then that no one else could see them, so I stopped talking about them. I still see them though, running around the house or in the forests. There are a couple that I talk to, but I try to keep my interactions to a minimum.

I always sound so lame because I don't have very many friends. I have orange hair like my mom but because of that, people think I'm a delinquent and I usually end up in trouble based on my looks rather than what I'm really like. I'm naturally strong and big, but I don't like dealing with people most of the time. It has more to do with stupidity than it does with trying to be cool, but everyone seems to think that because I'm aloof, I'm dangerous.

* * *

"There you go, have a good day." I said, bowing to a customer as they left.

"Ichigo."

I turned around and saw my boss tapping her foot at me and I lifted an eyebrow.

"What is it, Ikumi?"

Ikumi-san grabbed my ear and stuck me in a headlock.

"How disrespectful of a young man! Call me properly!"

"Ow! Ow, why are you hurting me?! Get off!"

She unhooked me and I made a face at her. She put her hands on her hips and gave me a small smile.

"Here, this is a delivery. I need you to hurry up and get back here."

"Why haven't you hired a delivery driver yet? Is there a reason I have to do everything around here?" I growled, snatching the bag.

She made a face at me and pointed her finger at me.

"I'll have you know that I've put out signs and a small ad in the newspaper to try and get someone. Why don't you ask a friend to work here? You're the weirdest kid."

"If I had friends I could stand to work with, I would. But I don't."

"You don't even have a girlfriend. What a shame."

"What do you mean?" I growled, taking off my apron. "Are you trying to say I'm shameful because I don't have one?"

"I just _think_ it's a shame you don't have one. You're good looking guy and despite your attitude, you should have girls crawling all over you. Look at those muscles and that cute little face." She said, squeezing my cheeks.

I moved out of her grip and held my hand out for the bag.

"For your information, girls are often scared of me."

"Why?"

"I told you why."

"Because of your hair?"

"Mostly. They think I'm automatically trying to be a delinquent."

"Well isn't there a girl who has the same color hair as you around here?"

"Inoue? Yeah, she does."

"What about her? Do you think she'd like a job here?"

"She works at a bread delivery place and likes working there just fine."

Ikumi gave me a sly look. "Ho, ho, you seem to know a lot about this Inoue girl. Is she someone that you like?"

"We have the same problem with people so we get along, that's all. If you stop talking to me then I can leave and get back."

Ikumi rolled her eyes as I went to the back of the store to get the delivery bike. I put the order in the container attached to the back of the bike, threw my helmet on, and pedaled away.

* * *

I stopped in front of the house I was delivering to and made a face at it. There were yokai everywhere around it. I sighed and tried to ignore most of them. Luckily, most of them were of animal-kind and so interacting with them wasn't much of a problem. Although that small group of _ho-o_ was making quite the racket in the trees and that there was a _karakasa kozo_ hiding behind a tree waiting to pounce on me. I walked slowly to try not to alert anything else but that stupid _karakasa kozo_ leapt out at me and I yelped, dropping the delivery and enduring the gross tongue licking. It cackled wildly and hopped away. I wiped off the disgusting goo quickly, trying to gather my bearings.

"I apologize for the _karakasa kozo_." A man's voice said in front of me.

I looked up as a guy with blonde hair and a green striped hat stared at me while leaning on the post of his house.

"No problem…" I mumbled in regards to the yokai attack. I picked up the bag and made sure everything was still alright. "Sorry I dropped your stuff."

"That's alright. I'm quite surprised you can see them all."

I looked around and then jumped at the _kama inu_ that were looking at me since I didn't realize they were there before.

"Yeah, it's a problem."

"A problem?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. "However do you mean?"

"They get in my way and I look like an idiot when I'm dealing with them. Especially _nurikabe_. God those things get on my nerves and I look like a dumbass trying to get around the stupid thing."

"Ah, yes, they can be quite cumbersome. How is it a boy your age can see them? They say only monks and those who seek them out are able to interact with them."

"Not sure. I fell off a bridge and landed in some water when I was young. I think I hit my head and a nice kappa saved me. I thought maybe it was a ningyo but it was a river, not an ocean."

The man smiled. "Ningyo have been known to get trapped in the river every once in a while."

"It doesn't matter really."

The man nodded and pulled out his purse.

"Here's the payment for the delivery…"

"Thanks…" I looked around a little. "Hey, um, why _do_ you have so many yokai around?"

"That is a question, isn't it? Maybe we'll see each other again."

"Yeah, maybe…"

"Please mind the _nobusuma_." He said as I walked away.

I looked up, making sure none of those bastards was coming my way and left to go back to work.

* * *

When I got back to work, Ikumi took the money from me and made me go back to the register. As I stood at the register, a couple of stealing yokai came in and took a few candies from the jar in front of me. I watched them as they giggled and stuck out their tongues at me, daring me to say anything to them. I just watched them and they scattered out the door, making the door open and the bell to ring. I sighed, leaning back. I guess my life will always be boring with yokai that I can't even interact with around me all the time and a social life that's as nonexistent as what these yokai are supposed to be.

Nothing will ever change.

* * *

 **haha oh yeah, sure. it won't change at all...**

 **so in this i focused a little more on the way everyone depicts him in the manga outside of his small circle of friends. this comes into play later. and a question to the readers: should i have him interact with yokai versions of his friends, half human-half yokai, or just all human? considering that the others are mermaids, it doesn't seem farfetched for others to be yokai... lemme know!**

 **YOKAI MINI ENCYCLOPEDIA**

 **NOBUSUMA** : a bat thing that swoops down and covers your face, sucking out your blood

 **NURIKABE** : a big yokai that just appears just because and blocks people's paths.

 **KAMA INU** : the lion-dogs that usually guard a temple or place. you see them outside chinese restaurants all the time ^^;

 **KARAKASA KOZO** : a one eyed umbrella thing with one leg and two arms. they hide behind trees and sneak out to glomp people. then they lick them with their slimy tongues

 **HO-O** : a phoenix-esque type bird thing. i think it shoots fire but it looks like a peacock


	7. Ichigo - 2

**things will be coming along soon but this is just a tiny filler on who is who and what life is like for poor ichigo.**

* * *

With my ability to see yokai, there are many that are just there and then there are a couple that have been able to make themselves human-esque. I guess I could call them my 'friends' but some of them were more of a nuisance than others.

* * *

"Keigo, stop it." I said as I walked up to the outside of the girl's restroom.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said just as a couple of girls screamed.

They ran out of the restroom and pointed at me.

"Perv!"

"We're telling a teacher about this!"

I frowned as Keigo smiled at me. I just swung my bag at his face and luckily it hit him.

"It's just a bit of fun!" he yelled, rubbing his nose.

"You keep getting me in trouble for being a peeping tom with rigging."

"If they can't figure out that there is no way a human can stick their hands in the toilet to rub a nice bottom then you humans are stupid."

"Don't make me argue with you here."

Keigo was always getting me into trouble. He was a kainede, known for stroking people's butts when they sit on the toilet. I agree with him that there is no possible way for me to have been able to touch anyone when I'm on the outside of the stall, but I keep getting blamed and they claim it's some sort of rigging. If I was like that, I'd want to have hands on, not a rig and a watch. But I'm not that sort of guy and Keigo was one of the banes of my existence in regards to the yokai world.

"Good morning, Ichigo." Ishida said, giving me a small bow. "How was your weekend?"

"Alright, I guess. I can't talk to you here." I said out of the corner of my mouth.

"I apologize." He said with a push of his glasses.

Ishida was a bird-tengu. He helped me on my quizzes and stuff but sometimes he was too smart for his own good. At least Ishida was helpful and was nice to talk to sometimes.

I turned the corner and ran into someone. I heard a growl and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry about that." I said, bending down to help pick up papers.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it."

I looked up and was face to face with Orihime. I gulped, not having actually been in close contact with her before. She was pretty and even though she was like me with orange hair, she was kind and a lot of people liked her. Unlike me, she was petite and cute and made people want to like her. Then again her quite large bosom may have been a plus. I don't like her because of that though, it's just that they are pretty hard to miss… The growling didn't stop and I looked up at Tatsuki. Tatsuki was half human and half okami and deemed protector of Orihime. Ishida told me that Orihime found her when she was wounded in a fight and nursed her back to health while she was in her wolf form. It created a bond between the two and she's been guarding her ever since in both forms. From what Ishida told me, she lives with Orihime as her 'dog' but turns human and meets up with her at school as her 'friend' and protects her in both senses. Apparently she has a really good system for if Orihime calls her for all that two people/same person ordeal.

Of course, Orihime doesn't know that and elbowed Tatsuki in regards to her still growling.

"Tatsuki, stop that. Why do you do that growling thing?" she said in a teasing manner.

"He hurt you."

"Not on purpose." I grumbled.

I heard a hiss behind me and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, hello, Kon." Orihime said with a smile.

"Nice morning, isn't it?" he said behind me.

"It _was_." Tatsuki said.

"I'm sorry about your books. I'll try to watch where I'm going next time." I said.

I shuffled away as quickly as possible, Kon close behind me.

"How could you ever have a liking for that dog lover?" Kon asked.

"Because Orihime doesn't know that her best friend is half wolf or that mine is a type of bakeneko disguised as a human." I growled.

Kon smiled at me. "Hey, I'm the only friend you have that can be seen by the human eye so I'd zip it if I were you."

"There's Chad."

"Chad is hardly mentally here so what does that even matter?"

Chad was also half human but his other half was an oni and oni's aren't that smart. He came for the free food, occasional fight, and athletic activities and that was about it. He didn't care if he passed school. If Ishida was right then it's about his third time going through it. He wasn't really my friend but I liked to tease Kon about it. In truth, if I had to have any 'friends' it would _be_ Kon.

My sister found him in his cat form in the middle of the road where someone must have hit him. We nursed him back to health and he took a fondness for me. When I was having a time with a _nukekubi_ , he came out and rescued me. It was a couple of years after Mom died, so I was really lonely and he shifted into a human form that people could see so that I wouldn't be made fun of anymore. Ever since then, he's 'grown' with me so that it looks like I have a childhood friend and so that it makes it easier when I say something happened at the house. I can always say he was with me and no one questions it.

"Are you going to the festival tonight?"

"My sisters are making me take them… well, Yuzu is and Karin decided to just come along."

"I'm coming too." He said, putting his hands behind his head.

"Why? I'm old enough to know the difference between yokai and humans at a festival. I don't need your help…"

"Who said I was going there to hang out with you?" he said with a sarcastic look. I made a face at him and he grinned. "Seriously, though, I'm not going for you."

"Then what for?"

"One, to protect you just in case, two, because I get to be in my full yokai form for once, and three, free food."

"You have to pay for the food."

"Not if you're a yokai." He said with a wag of his finger.

"So you mean you get to _steal_ the food due to the fact that you're on a different astral plain that most people can't see?"

"Uh, yeah; the fact that I'm invisible to the normal human eye is a wondrous thing. Besides, it's festival time and you know how the yokai get restless."

"Young Kon is right." Ishida said, suddenly walking with us. "Most yokai get most of their mischief accomplished during the festival times. There are a lot of people to mess with."

"That's when I get to touch the most butts." Keigo said.

I punched him in the face and he fell into another kid. To the kid, it would feel like an odd breeze rushing past him as his papers all fell out of his hands and to the floor. Kon looked behind us and made a face.

"Shouldn't you help him get those papers?"

"If I did I'd just get blamed for something. Come on, let's get to class already."

Trying to help anyone was something I learned early on _not_ to do. I was either immediately blamed for it or the person would be so confused that a 'delinquent' would help them that they'd just freeze up on me. I usually got the former and thus I tried not to get involved with people… thus adding to my 'delinquency'. It was a vicious cycle.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, Kon is so hot. Why does he hang out with that snob, Ichigo?"

"I know, right? It's like he feels sorry for him or something. I mean, did you hear what he did to Ateko?"

"No, what?"

"Ateko was walking in the hallway and Ichigo just punched the air for no reason, almost hitting Ateko. He made all his papers fall and didn't even try to help him. God, he's so… so…"

"Brutish."

" _Yeah_! That's the word!"

I sighed and tried to concentrate on reading my manga. Kon looked at me in worry though and I tried to keep from looking at him.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"I'm used to it."

"It doesn't mean it's okay. Why do you let them say that about you?"

"Because if I try to defend myself the truth will just get twisted again and it will be much worse if they spin it too out of control. They are girls…"

"You humans are so annoying. I wish you would all just think before you made assumptions."

"Yeah, wouldn't _that_ be nice." I said with a snort. "You think way too highly our mental faculties. Humans can be smart but we are also lazy and lazy usually wins out. Why try to think or do anything when it's easier not to? So in this instance, they don't want to analyze my actions and wonder why I would do it, they just accept the story that was told to them and how it easily makes me the enemy in their eyes. It's a cruel fact of life."

Kon just sighed and looked over at the girls who were looking at us. They waved at him and he waved back a little, making them squeal.

"And you are nothing but a tease. Stop leading those girls on." I said.

"All I did was wave to them. If they are so stupid as to think that means anything more, then you're right, I give way too much credit to human thinking abilities."

I laughed a little as I went back to reading.

* * *

Kon and I got home and Yuzu ran to me.

"Nii-san, are we still going to the festival tonight?!"

"I said I'd take you, didn't I?"

"Okay, I was just making sure. I'm so excited!"

She ran away and Kon smiled after her.

"She's lively for the festival."

"I have to win some more goldfish for the stupid tank. I wish there was something else to won at these things…"

"Goldfish are tasty…" he said, putting his finger to his chin.

"Move out of the way, Giants!" someone yelled.

Kon and I looked down as a few minor yokai ran under our legs and I sighed, wondering what they were doing in the house.

"Don't worry, they are _kujosuru_." Kon said.

"Exterminators?"

"They eradicate the house of vermin, rats, roaches, spiders and the like. Why do you think you haven't seen any?"

"I thought it was location."

"Nah, they came and asked for work a few years back so I let them have at it. You'd be surprised at the vermin that gets into these houses, yokai and physical alike… they mostly deal with the yokai kind."

"Who said you could employ yokai whenever you like?"

"Usually they work at night on the inside of the walls but there must be something-"

"Ah! Get it away!"

"Stop attacking it, Yuzu! If you attack it it will just come after you!"

"Ichigo!"

I ran up the stairs towards the girls' room and opened it up. There, I found them trying to get away from a suzumebachi. Kon was gone in an instant and I ushered the girls out of the room as I heard Kon yell and I opened the door. I stuck my head in and Kon pointed at the bug on the floor.

"Killed it." He closed the window and whistled. Those little yokai from before came out and he pointed to the suzumebachi. "Hey, I thought you were supposed to make sure none of these things got in here."

"Weeza sorry. Theyza too big for our crew. Weeza gonna hafta get more people." The little one eyed creature said.

"I suggest you do. These things can kill humans and having them come in is a big way to get you guys kicked out!"

"No!" the three of them yelled, getting on their knees. "Weeza tries harder! If you gives us permissions, weeza gonna get more people."

Kon looked at me and I shrugged. "As long as they don't cause themselves to be noticed by the family."

"You heard the man."

"Weeza thanks you!"

"Yeah, yeah, get back to work." Kon grumbled. He walked out and I gave him a look. "What?"

"I thought you said they asked to be here?"

"They did but you can kick them out if you want. They've been pretty handy so far but I think they are right. Suzumebachi are pretty tough creatures. Are the girls alright?"

"They ran down the stairs. I'll go check on them."

"I'll maybe see you at the festival. I'm getting ready now."

I nodded and went to check on the girls. They ran to me and hugged me tight.

"Are you alright, Ichigo?"

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah, I got it. You two know not to have your windows open in the summer like this."

"I just wanted a little fresh air… Do you think there could be some suzumebachi at the festival?" she asked in fear.

"I don't think so. They usually don't like the night time. Let's just go to have a good time and not think about bugs, alright?"

"Okay…"

They went back up the stairs and I went to my room to get ready for the festival.

* * *

 **kids can be so cruel. anyhow, this is pretty much the day in the life of ichigo. he just tries to stay out of people's way and go about his business and learn things. kon is his bestest friend. i forget about him a lot considering that tite completely wrote him out of existence after the lost soul reaper arc. but i digress.**

 **YOKAI/CREATURE** **MINI** **ENCYCLOPEDIA**

 **KAINEDE** = _Keigo_ = it is a hand that comes from the toilet and strokes people's bottoms. like just a hand in the toilet. that's why ichigo was wondering why people blamed him because it's literally IN the toilet

 **BIRD-TENGU** = _Ishida_ = tengu are classified in high or low tengu. the lower tengu somehow end up looking like a bird for some reason. they are wise creatures and that's kind of it

 **OKAMI** = _Tatsuki_ = a wolf yokai (more shapeshifter-ish)

 **NUKEKUBI:** floating heads that chase people

 **BAKENEKO/KITSUNE** = _Kon_ = i couldn't find a suitable yokai to make kon since he's represented by a lion plush. there is only one lion in japanese folklore and that's the dog lions, but they come in pairs and are meant to protect. so i decided to have him a mix of general bakeneko and features of kitsunes. like a bakitsune(?)

 **ONI** = _Chad_ = ogre looking monsters who live mostly for eating, fighting, and sleeping

 **KUJOSURU:** exterminators = these i made up myself. the name literally means exterminator. they aren't intelligent in a lot which is why they talk like jr jar binks

 **SUZUMEBACHI:** giant japanese hornets = i wish these were yokai but they are actually real hornets that live in japan. they are humongous and mean as hell. if you provoke it, it will chase you and bring its friends. they are not friendly and have a 1 inch stinger and their poison can kill a grown healthy adult. these fuckers eat bee larvae and actually attack bee hives, kill the bees, and then eat their young. look them up on youtube. it's cool but really disturbing


	8. Ichigo - 3

**it finally happens... somewhere down there *3* fuu fuu fuu**

* * *

Yuzu and Karin pulled me along at the festival and of course, I ended up at one of the game booths where they overprice you for only two throws or nets. But luckily, I was good at these games, which was why Yuzu wanted me to play them for her so she could win a prize. As we walked around, yokai of all kinds were there enjoying their version of the festival to the unseen eye. Most of the yokai stared at me plainly, able to sense the height of my abilities as if I were wearing a sheepskin parka in the middle of the summer. It got really nerve wracking knowing that you were being watched all the time and some of them even had the audacity to try and get really close to my sisters. Do you understand how _hard_ it is to shoo away an invisible creature without looking like a loony?

"Well, look who it is…" I turned around and found Tatsuki there glaring at me with that iconic lupine stare. "Where's that stupid friend of yours? I didn't think I'd not see one without the other… you two are practically glued at the hip."

"If you mean Kon then he's around. He _does_ have his own life… What about Orihime?"

"She went to the okonomiyaki stand. I saw you over here looking like a weirdo so I came over."

I make a face at her. "So just standing, then?"

"Yeah."

We stand there awkwardly for a moment when I sense some oni nearby. I look over and see Chad walking with some humanized oni, listening to one of them talk. He saw me looking at him and made a face at me. I just lift my eyebrows at him, wondering what the look was for when I hear someone coming up to us. I look back and see that it's Orihime with two plates.

"Tatsuki! I got you one as well! Oh, hello, Ichigo…"

"Hello."

"I thought you didn't like Ichigo, Tatsuki."

"I never said that. I just said he was annoying." She said, biting into her okonomiyaki.

Orihime smiled at her friend with such ignorant adoration and I sighed, knowing that Tatsuki didn't like me because she didn't like Kon and since Kon was usually always around, I smelled like cat.

"Are you here by yourself?" Orhime asked.

"No, I brought my little sisters. They wanted some new fish for their tank and I'm pretty good at winning them so they asked me to come to the festival to get some."

"Wow, you _must_ be if you can win a fish every time." Orihime said with a small clap of her hands. "Would you mind winning _me_ a fish?"

"What do you need a fish for?" Tatsuki said, glaring at her friend.

"I just think it would be nice for Okami to have a friend, don't you think?"

I blinked at her. "Okami?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's the name of my dog. I know it's kind of obvious but she's so big and fluffy and looks just like those big wolves that used to be around Japan. Have you ever seen a picture?"

"Yeah, I think I know what you're getting at." I said with a small smile since it was actually Tatsuki that I had seen.

"You'll have to see her sometime. She's such a weird dog… Tatsuki, I don't think you've ever seen her, have you?"

"Mostly it's because she's gone when I come over."

Orihime laughed. "That's right! I think Okami might be afraid of Tatsuki because every time I tell her that she's coming, she runs to the door to be let out and doesn't come back until way after Tatsuki leaves. Isn't that wild?"

I look at Tatsuki who is fidgeting. "Yeah. How odd."

"Ichi-nii!" I turned as Yuzu and Karin walked up. "Can you get Yuzu's fish now? I'm tired of this place and the dango here is gross."

"I've got to go but it was nice seeing you here. Maybe one day I'll meet Okami."

"Right! See ya!" Orihime waved.

"Hopefully not too soon!" Tatsuki waved with a big fake smile.

I made a face at her as Orihime elbowed her in the side.

* * *

I looked at the row of festival games and sighed, really not wanting to spend all my money on getting some stupid fish. We walked down the aisle for a bit trying to find a booth with a good price on it.

"May I interest you in a game?" a man said at one of the very last booths at the end of the row.

I was looking at the other booth in front of him and turned, finding the guy that I delivered food to the other day. The only reason why I recognized him was because he had that weird hat on again and the fact that there were a bunch of yokai beside him playing mahjong.

"Damn it!" an oni growled, reaching into his tattered pants. "I only have 500 yen left. Striped Hat, one more round!" he snarled as he slammed the 300 yen onto his booth making it shake.

"Of course but if you lose this game, I must ask you to please vacate the area." The man said with a smile as he grabbed the yen off the table. He turned back to me. "You look like you're looking for a game to play?"

"Yeah… I need to win some goldfish for my sister."

"I see. Well I have a game of goldfish to play."

I made a face at him as he stood up from the booth and motioned for me to come closer. I did and saw that behind him there really was a game of goldfish there. He handed held out a small bucket with ping-pong balls in it.

"One game has six bounces; only 100 yen."

"What kind of game is this?"

"Simple, instead of scooping for the goldfish, you bounce these ping-pong balls and try to get the ball to go into a glass that has a fish inside. The best part is that even if you don't ring a glass, you'll still get a fish in the end."

"Please, Nii-chan?" Yuzu asked, looking up at me. "We still get a fish even if we don't win and I won't ask anymore."

"And their little koi fish." Karin said, looking into the pool. "At least these will last a while."

I sighed and pulled out my wallet, giving the man 100 yen. He smiled and handed me the small bucket. The game was actually a lot harder than it seemed and I actually had fun with it since there was an extra challenge. After six bounces, the man clapped his hands and reached over into the slew of glasses, pulling out two with a red and white one in one and a black and red one in the other.

"You won two. Congratulations."

Yuzu cheered as the man put the two fish in two bags and handed them to Yuzu.

"These are koi fish, now; they're much different than regular goldfish. Ask your dad how to take care of them properly. If you do things right, they can grow to almost three feet long!"

"Then we can do cool things with them in an outside pond." Karin said, looking at the fish in the bags.

Yuzu squealed. "I will! Thank you, Nii-san! I saw my friends at one of the other booths! I'm going to go show them what you got!"

She ran away with Karin behind her and I sighed, shaking my head.

"Thanks for the challenge, sir. I haven't had to strategize about winning goldfish for a while."

I started to walk away.

"Wait!" I turned back. "I have something else for you."

I walked back and he smiled at me.

"You can see them, right? The yokai all around."

"Yeah. You entertain them pretty well." I said, pointing to the mahjong game.

"They have their uses. You mentioned before that you fell off of a bridge and hit your head and ever since then you've seen the yokai."

"Yeah."

"Do you interact with any?"

"There's a couple of them that hang around the school and… Kon…"

The man lifted a blonde eyebrow at that. "Kon?"

"He's a kitsuneko or a bakitsune… I guess it depends on what you want to call him."

"A kitsuneko, huh? That's a name I haven't heard in a while."

"Wait, so you've heard of one? Officially?" I asked, getting closer.

"They are a combination of a bakeneko species and the kitsunes. They are very, very rare but they _are_ around… they are extremely dangerous though. You said the one who is with you is named Kon?"

"Yeah. He's pretty much my friend. He's been with me since I was little."

"It would be wise to be careful around him. Even though he may be your friend and care a good deal about you, the fact is still that he is made up of two of the ficklest creatures on earth and two of the most mischievous in myth."

I frowned at him. "What's this the extra prize? Advice?"

The man laughed and shook his head. "Of course not… This is your extra prize…"

He pulled out a small bag that had a fish in it but it was a pretty big fish to just be stuck in a baggy like that. He handed it to me as I looked into it.

"I think I'm leaving this in capable hands. Take good care of her. She's royalty."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see. I wouldn't be shocked if some odd things happen after this. The priority here, though, is to protect her with everything you've got."

I frowned, wondering what the heck this guy was talking about. It was dark back here so I really couldn't make out what kind of fish was in the bag. I carried it along and went to find my sisters.

* * *

When we got home Yuzu showed Dad the koi fish and they began to make plans about the koi pond that I know I would end up having to clean because of them.

"Ichi-nii got a fish too." Karin said.

"Oh, it's just something the booth owner let me have. It's nothing special. I'm going to put it in something before it dies of confined spaces."

"You can't use my fish bowl yet! I have to keep Kasai and Daku in there until we build the koi pond."

"You have a tank to use…"

"You can't put koi and goldfish in the same tank, Ichigo." Isshin said with a cross of his arms. "Even I know that."

"Okay, okay, I'll just stick it in glass pitcher…"

"You can't do that! That fish is too big! Fill up the bathtub a little and stick it in there."

"I'm not putting some nasty ass fish in my bathtub! I'll just find a bucket or something."

"You can't do that!"

"I'm tired of arguing about this stupid fish. I didn't even want it anyway but I don't know what kind of fish it is and if you can't put koi with goldfish then since I don't know what this is, I can't put it in there either."

I went to the cupboard and grabbed the large glass pitcher.

"I'll wash this out when I get a new fish bowl tomorrow."

I tromped up the stairs to my room.

* * *

I filled the pitcher up with water and set it on my dresser. I lifted the baggy up to get a better look at my fish. It looked weird and I had been denying it since I got the thing but it looked a little like a mermaid or something. I shook my head. Even if it were a mermaid, the yokai ones that I've seen in books are nothing like this. This mermaid looked like that movie, not like the ningyo I've ever seen. I think I was just overwhelmed with the amount of yokai I was around and am in need of some desperate sleep. I mean, on the way home I had to get Yuzu and Karin to hurry it up because I could hear someone behind me. It wasn't the _bekobeko-san_ , who is super annoying in himself, but I had a feeling it was the _kuchisaki onna_ coming to try and ask me about her face. I had other things to do beside answer some crazy ass lady about her mutilated face…

"Rah!"

"Holy shit!" I screamed, falling backwards onto the floor, my baggy falling as well.

"You will not escape!" the _tenjo kudari_ yelled, dangling from the ceiling.

I put my hand over my heart. "Alright, alright, you got me this time."

The _tenjo kudari_ giggled and then gave a haggard smile to me.

"I knew I could. You said I couldn't, but I did."

"Yes, you did splendid. Please leave me alone."

The _tenjo kudari_ slithered back into the crawlspace of the house and I sighed, putting my hand on my chest again when I looked over at the window and gulped. The little bitch followed me home.

"Am I pretty?" she asked from the outside of the window.

Usually Kon is with me when the _kuchisaki onna_ was around and would divert me from where she was so that I wouldn't get caught up in her game. I didn't make it this time… I'm going to die.

"Am I pretty?" she asked again, staring at me.

I knew what was under that mask and what she was capable of. I don't play around with urban legends… I was just about to answer her when she was ripped from the window and a wall of flames flew past it. There was a small commotion with the only definite noise being a pot fell from the girl's room and then a wailing noise. The window opened and Kon came in, his tails billowing around him.

"Sorry I didn't come sooner. Did you answer her?"

"N-no… No… You came just in time."

"That thing is persistent as hell. How did she even get here?"

"I sensed her on the way back and I thought I lost her but I guess not. Between her and the stupid yokai in the crawlspace, I'm about to die of a heart attack!"

Kon got off the bed and helped me up. I reached down and grabbed my baggy, going to the pitcher.

"I just wanted to put my stupid fish in the pitcher."

I opened the baggy and plopped the fish into the pitcher. The fish didn't move and I frowned.

"That thing killed my fish." I noticed Kon's ears were flared. "You okay?"

"That's… not a fish."

"Huh?"

I looked back at the pitcher as the fish seemed to wake up and look around. It swam to the surface of the water and seemed to start growing larger. As it rapidly grew, it got too large for the pitcher and it burst, causing them to fall forward onto me. The weight and sudden 'attack' made me fall back and hit my head on the floor. The last thing I saw was the face of a beautiful woman with big blue eyes and deep black hair staring at me in skin as white as snow.

"Who are you?" she asked.

I blacked out, so I couldn't answer, but I had the exact same question for her.

* * *

 **aaaand so they meet. way to go rukia. your ass killed him haha. anyway, now we can get the ball rolling on some romance and awkward situations. yay! btw, kon's yokai form looks like a kitsune but instead of having fox tails they are cat tails and the ears are a bit different but he has the powers of both kitsune and bakenekos so that's why he's a kitsuneko**

 **ps: whose POV should I write in next? should I stick with ichigo or start the flip flopping now and go over to rukia?**

 **YOKAI MINI ENCYCLOPEDIA**

 **BEKOBEKO-SAN** = a creature thing that has no figure and just creeps people out. it follows lone travelers at night and matches up with your footsteps to make it seem like someone is following you. it doesn't harm you or anything but i mean that's creepy as shit!

 **KUCHISAKI ONNA** = this is an urban legend of Japan but hey, urban legends are fantasy too (sometimes) - this is a woman who was mutilated by some circumstance and so now she terrorizes people. usually she goes after men and she'll sneak up behind them and ask them if she is pretty. she wears a surgical mask and if you answer yes, she'll take the mask off and show you her mutilated joker face and ask again. if you say no, she'll kill you and cut your face too and if you say yes, she assumes you're lying and still get killed. even if you run away, she will find you. in ichigo's case, he never confronted her at all so she followed him home...

 **TENJO KUDARI** = they live in the crawlspace of home between the ceiling and the roof of the house. they don't do anything but come through the slats in the ceiling and be like yoohoo, thought I'd come and scare ya a bit.


	9. Rukia - 6

**thank you everyone for your patience. my job has not been kind to me and it has taken a bit to get back to writing due to mental/physical stress. i have gotten a new job and hopefully will get back into a more steady updating. i apologize for the wait after making you wait. i might be a little rusty but bear with me. thank you again and things should be more normal soon.**

* * *

My mind seemed to wake up, memories and thoughts rushing into my head at a thousand miles a minute. My sister shrinking me and throwing me into a bag, the fight we had, a clownfish coming at me at twenty miles an hour.

A clownfish?

I shook my head and opened my eyes, finding a pair of brown eyes staring at me in bewilderment and bright orange hair glaring at me like a clownfish. He was oddly handsome and I had no idea who he was but where was I and who was he?

"Who are you?" I asked.

His eyes rolled in the back of his head and his head lolled to the side. I made a face at him. I've never seen anyone greet someone like that before. I suddenly heard a hiss and looked over, finding a strange creature with a lot of fuzzy tails glaring at me angrily.

"Get off of him right now." He snarled.

I moved a little and fell flat on my face. I wasn't it water! Where the hell _was_ I?!

"Where am I? Tell me where I am this instant." I demanded of the fuzzy creature.

"What do you mean 'where are you'? You're on land."

"Land?"

"Yeah. That thing that sits on the ocean."

I gasped and tried to get away but my fin wasn't working and I was very lightheaded and dizzy. I also felt like I wasn't getting enough air. I felt something touch my shoulder and looked, finding the fuzzy animal holding some strange object out to me.

"Here, you'll need this."

"What is it?"

"Water, what else?"

I looked at the odd clear object that had sloshing water in it and then looked at him.

"I can't swim in that, you imbecile."

The fuzzy monster sighed and screwed something off the top. He handed it to me again.

"It's a _bottle_ of water. Drink it. Are you merfolk that retarded?"

I made a face at him but drank the water, finding that it made my head feel a lot better and less lightheaded… although it tasted funny.

"This water tastes strange."

"That's because it's purified- What the hell?! That's not the point! You knocked out my human!" he growled, pointing at the floor.

I looked back and saw the carrot-haired… human… Human? I felt my eyes go wide and I backed up again, hitting my head hard against a strange piece of furniture. I looked behind me and realized it was a dresser of sorts.

"Hu-human? I'm here with a human? How… How did I-"

"Beats me, Flappy Fins. Point is that you knocked out my human with your fat ass."

"Fat ass?!" I turned fully to the creature. "I'll have you know that my upper fin circumference is well in range!"

The creature's eyes suddenly seemed to bulge out and I realized he was looking at my chest. I looked down but I was covered with my chest plates so I didn't know what he was staring at.

"Do you mind looking at me when I speak?" I asked.

He shook his head and looked at me for a good moment.

"I have no idea what to do with you…"

He walked over to the human and picked him up without having any problems. He set him in the bed and covered him up, touching his forehead a little.

"You'd better hope he wakes up." He growled. "In the meantime, what am I supposed to do with you?" he grumbled.

"Put me back where I came from, of course."

"We don't live near the ocean, Mermaid-san."

"My name is Rukia."

"Fine, _Rukia_ -san. Anyway, we don't live near the ocean, where you are from."

"Then how did I get _here_?"

"Ichigo won you at a festival game and you were in a plastic baggy. He dumped you in water and then you grew and then you fell on him."

"What's a baggy?"

The fuzzy creature scoffed and walked towards me. I thought he was going to hurt me, so I cringed but nothing happened. I opened my eyes to find him squatted in front of me holding out a strange see-through thin sheet of seaweed.

"This is cellophane. It's what plastic bags are made of. It keeps things from getting in… looks like in your case, it was to keep you from getting _out_."

I stared at the clear seaweed, confused about having really been in there. Then I remembered Hisana and her making me drink that weird drink… I shrunk…

"I was in there…"

"Yup. All asleep and snug."

"I wasn't asleep." I seethed. "I was passed out. My… someone put me in that strange bag and now I've woken up here on Land… This is not very good at all."

"You think? I've got a mermaid in the house. You're not that easy to hide."

"I told you to just put me back in the ocean."

"If we were _near_ the ocean, I'd be glad to do it right now! But we're not. We're too far inland to do anything about it, especially at this time of night."

"Well I have to get back! I'm supposed to be getting married!" I yelled, my movement hindered by my tail. "Fuzzy creature, I must get back!"

"My name is Kon and I'm a kitsuneko, thank you very much." He growled.

"Sorry then, Kon… Listen, I'm supposed to be doing a very important task within the High Ningyo Society and if I'm here on Land then it will look like I'm shirking my duties or even that I'm running away from them! What will Nii-sama think?!"

I began to hyperventilate, not being able to breathe. Kon handed me the bottled water again.

"Yeah, I'd not get too excited. Your lungs aren't used to air yet. Drink some water and calm down."

I drank the weird water but felt better.

A moan sounded and Kon turned to the human. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head.

"What the hell?" he mumbled.

He looked over at me and our eyes locked. His brown eyes reminded me of Renji and even though his hair was orange, not red, his demeanor was just like my husband-to-be. I turned away, hoping I hadn't lost him in this strange mix up.

"Who is that?"

"This is Rukia-san. She's a mermaid." Kon said.

I looked back at Ichigo as he stared at me intensely.

"A mermaid? Here? How?"

"I don't know, Ichigo, you're the one who had her in the bag."

"I had a fish in the bag."

"No you didn't. She was in the bag and when you dropped her in water."

"She's not one of those 'grow an animal' pills, Kon. She's a mermaid! I real live friggin mermaid!" He got up and began to pace the room. "What am I supposed to do with her? I can't hide her in here, she could die. I can't put her in the bathtub…"

"You could always just, put me back into the ocean…" I suggested.

Ichigo turned to me. "You look way too heavy to carry there, ma'am."

I clenched my fist and grabbed one of my chest plates, yanking it off. It hurt but to chuck it at this clownfish head's face was the only goal I needed to fulfill. I sent it flying at him but he dodged it and it lodged into the wall. He gave me a glare as I gave him one back.

"The next time you throw one of those, I'll cut your tail into sushi."

"The next time you make fun of my weight, I won't miss."

"What do you even know about weight? You're a fish and you swim in the ocean. That makes you weigh about half your body weight when submerged. On land, you don't have the buoyancy of salt or water to help with that massive tail. Gravity is not kind to anyone, Mermaid-san."

"I _hate_ Land."

"Me too because that means unless you get some legs around here, I'm going to have to carry your ass everywhere! And how do I explain that?! Can people even see you?! Kon?!"

"What?" he asked, looking at us casually from the bed.

"Will people be able to see her? I mean, she's not like the rest."

"Debatable. I wouldn't take my chances with her though."

"Great! That's just great, now I have to figure out what to do with you."

"THROW ME BACK IN THE OCEAN!"

"I CAN'T!"

"Ichigo? What are you yelling at up there?" a voice from the netherworld said.

"I'm… yelling at the TV." Ichigo answered.

After a small silence, Ichigo ran his fingers through his hair and sat on the bed next to Kon.

"Look, Mermaid-san-"

"Rukia. Ru-ki-a."

"Rukia-san, I can't take you back to the ocean right now. Especially not this second because it's dark outside but the fact of the matter is that you don't have any legs. I'd have to carry you all the way there to drop you in and even though you hate me saying it, gravity is not going to be kind about that tail. On land, it's dead weight and I'm not sure if people can see you or not so if they really can, and they see me carrying a mermaid through Karakura Town? You'd never get home."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Orangey Head."

"Hey, that guy you got her from… what about asking him some questions about her. He may know something." Kon said, his ears perking up.

"Maybe… I'll have to stop by his house. I guess it's the best lead we have. In the mean time, what do I do with _her_?"

They both looked at me with loss in their eyes and I sighed, feeling lightheaded again. I drank the icky water to try and feel a little freshened but I could tell that my body was being sapped of all my energy. Maybe it's because I'm not used to drying out… I've heard of it before. It's a horrible experience.

"I mean, we could put her in the bathtub but would that even be enough water?"

"It would at least keep her from drying out."

"Yes, but you share the bathroom with your sisters."

"I hope to try and get some better answers so maybe we don't have to use the tub."

"Well in the meantime…"

My head felt woozy and I put my hand to it but the unconsciousness was already starting and I felt myself falling into blackness.

* * *

 **so in essence, the lack of water made her lightheaded. nice job ichigo for caring for her needs...**

 **also, even though there are a few things that she doesn't recognize because they are few and far between. a plastic bag and a plastic bottle is not something she's used to. a cloth-like bag and a clay bottle, yes, but not plastic. it's foreign to her. even when hisana went to put her in the baggy she didn't know what it was. also, she has never seen a land animal but she knows they aren't like sea creatures, so that's why she keeps calling kon a fuzzy creature. even though they are both myths, its not like they know each other and the merfolk seem to keep to themselves regarding their lifestyle. although, she would know about water-based mythological creatures.**

 **and karakura town is not by the sea. it's got a river running through it but i know for a fact that ichigos house is not by the ocean.**


End file.
